Light mount



April 25, 1939.

E. BRAND LIGHT MOUNT Filed Aug. 18, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR HIS ATTORNEYS April 25, 1939. I 5 BRAND 2,155,752

I LIGHT MOUNT Filed Au' 18, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 HIS ATTORNEYS E. BRAND LIGHT MOUNT April 25, 1939.

Filed Aug. 18, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR HIS ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 25, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to illumination, and. includes among its objects and advantages the provision of an improved light mount.

. An object of my invention is to provide a mount for spot or flood lights embodying novel means for adjusting the light in a vertical plane or rotating the light in either direction in a horizontal plane or in various planes at different angles to the horizontal.

Another object is to provide a light mount including control means for the light so constructed and arranged as to permit the light to be simultaneously adjusted in vertical and horizontal planes and in which novel means are incorporated for indicating the direction of the light beam in all positions of the light even though the light is hidden from the view of the operator.

Another object is to provide a light mount particularly adapted for location on automobile and truck tops, boat decks, and other elevated structures lying in horizontal planes or at angles to the horizontal.

Another object is to provide a light mount in which the light may be rotated any number of turns in either direction and in which novel means are employed for maintaining a closed circuit regardless of the position of the light.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of my light mount;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 3-3 of Fi 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view along the line 44 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of a circuit which may be employed in my invention.

In the embodiment selected to illustrated my invention, I make use of a supporting structure l0 which may comprise the metallic shell of an 40 automobile or truck top or other suitable structure. Upon the structure Ill, I mount a light I2 of the spot or flood type, which light includes the usual lenses, bulb, reflector and the like. Since such lights are well known in the art, it need'not 45 be described in further detail.

Light I2 is operatively connected with a handle M for control purposes. The full line position of the light 12 in Fig. 1 illustrates its lowest angle of adjustment, but the light may be 50 shifted in a vertical plane through the medium of the handle 14 to direct a beam vertically. The axis [6 of the handle l4 parallels the axis l8 of the light 12 in all positions, so that the angularity of the light beam may be determined by '55 observing the position of the handle l4, assuming, of course, that the light is not visible from the operators position. Light [2 is also mounted for rotation about a vertical axis. Rotation of the handle l4 about the vertical axis of the light mount rotates the light l2 in the same degree and since the axis I6 parallels the axis !8, angularity of the light beam in all positions of the light corresponds to the position of the handle I l.

Specifically, the light mount comprises a metallic tube 20 terminating in spaced and parallel plates 22. Upon the outer faces of the plates 22 I mount operating plates 24 which are fixedly connected with the light l2. Plates 22 and 24 are circular, as illustrated in Fig. 2, while the plates 24 are substantially enclosed between lips 26 formed integrally with or otherwise attached to the housing of the light l2. The upper ends of the lips 26 are interconnected by a reach 28' while the lips 26 are fixedly connected with the operating plates 24 by screws 30.

About the periphery of the plates 22 I mount closure plates 32 which are spaced at their upper ends to provide an opening 33 to lend access to the space between the plates 22. Plates 22 and closure plates 32 may be welded to the tube 26 along the line 34 (see Fig. 2). The housing of the light [2 is cut out at 36 to provide an opening for accommodating plates 22 and 24 as well as the wiring for the light. Plates 22, 24, and closure plates 32 may be defined as a head for connection with the light l2.

Upon the lower end of the tube 20 I mount a companion tube 38 which carries plates 40 corresponding to the plates 22 and actuating plates 42 of the same construction as plates 24. Plates 40 may be weldedto the tube 38 along the line indicated generally at 44. Closure plates 46 are connected with the plates 46 and their upper ends are welded to the tube 38 in the same manner as the plates 40. The lower ends of closure plates 46 are spaced to provide an opening 48 permitting. access to the space between the plates 46. Spaced plates 48 and the closure plates 46 together with the plates 42 define a head which serves as a mounting for the handle M.

The inner end of the handle i4 is fixedly connected with a cap 41 which includes flanges 49 fixedly connected with the plates 42 by screws El. Cap 41 includes a curved reach 53 which has close fitting relation with the plates 56 and rotates thereabout, In all positions of the handle M the curved reach 53 covers the opening 48.

Similarly, the opening 33 is covered by the light lying within grooves 50 in the plates 22 and may be welded to the plates. Similarly, closure plates 46 have their marginal edges lying within grooves 52 in the plates 40 and may be welded to the plates. The upper and lower heads are identical in construction with the exception that the lower head is slightly larger in diameter since the tube 38 lies outside the tube 20.

Tube 38 is slotted at 54 inwardly of its upper end, and two lugs 56 are welded to the tube 38 adjacent the slot 54. The lugs are bored at 58 for the reception of a screw 60 having threaded relation with one of the lugs, as indicated at 62. A narrow slot 64 is cut in the tube for the reception of a key 66 which fits between the lugs 58. Key 66 is provided with shoulders 68 which abut the outer face of the tube 20, and the key is held in the position illustrated in Fig. 2 by the screw 60. The key is recessed slightly at I0 to partly embrace the screw 60, which relation holds the key in position. Tube 38 may be drawn tightly about the tube 20 by merely tightening the screw 60, but the key 66 provides a positive con nection so that the two tubes will be connected as a unit,

In Figs. 2 and 3, the plates 22 are bored at I2 for rotatably supporting a shaft 14 having square ends 76 lying within similarly shaped openings 18 in the plates 24. Ends 16 terminate flush with the outer faces of the plates 24 while the ends fit snugly within the openings I8 so as to impart rotary motion of the plates when the shaft 14 is turned. Upon the shaft I4 I mount a lever 80 having a hub 82 bored to receive the shaft I4, and the hub is fixedly connected with the shaft by set screws 84.

One face of the lever 80 lies in abutting relation with the boss 86 on one of the plates 22, while the end of the hub 82 lies in abutting relation with the hub 88 on the other plate 22. Two connecting rods 90 and 92 are connected at their upper ends with the lever 80. The lever is provided with bores 94 and 96 for the reception of right-angular reaches 98 and I00 formed at the upper ends of the connecting rods 90 and 92, respectively.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be noted that the bores 94 and 96 are positioned at equal distances from the axis of the shaft I4 as well as being located at diametrically opposite points with respect to the shaft. I groove one of the plates 22 at I02 for accommodating the reaches 98 and I 80, which groove is located in concentric relation with the axis of the shaft I4. Reaches 98 and I00 may be grooved for the reception of conventional spring locking collars I06.

Lever 80 is positioned in close relation with one of the plates 22 to bring the connecting rods 90 and 92 centrally of the tube 20. In Fig. 4, I illustrate plates 40 as being bored at I08 for rotatably receiving a shaft IIO having square ends II2 fitting snugly within similarly shaped openings I I4 in the plates 42. Fig. 2 illustrates a lever II6 as being mounted on the shaft I I0 and keyed thereto by set screws I I8. Lever H6 is of the same construction and size as the lever 80 and includes a similar hub I20.

The lower ends of the connecting rods 90 and 92 are provided with right-angular reaches I22 and I24, respectively, which correspond to the I reaches 98 and I00 and are connected with the lever H6 in the same manner. Connecting rod 90 is offset at I26 and I while connecting rod 92 is ofiset at I28 and I32.

In Fig. 4, I illustrate the hub I20 as being recessed at I34, while the shaft H0 is also recessed at I36. With the parts adjusted according to Fig. 2, the offset I30 lies within the recesses I34 and I36. Fig. 1 illustrates the extreme upper position of the handle I4, at which time the light I2 is positioned in its extreme lower position. When the handle I4 is rotated to its extreme opposite position, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the offset I32 will lie within the recesses I34 and I36.

Hub 82 associated with the lever 80 is provided with a recess I38 of the same shape and arrangement as the recess I34, while the shaft 14 is provided with a recess I40 of the same size and shape as the recess I36. Recesses I38 and I40 accommodate the offsets I26 and I28 in the same manner as the recesses I34 and I36 accommodate the offsets I30 and I32.

In Fig. 2, a supporting plate I42 is mounted on the support I0 with a sealing gasket I44 positioned between the plate and the support to render the connection moisture-proof. Plate I42 includes a tubular extension I46 which loosely em braces the tube 20, and the extension I46 is enclosed within a rain shield I48 having an inturned flange I50 welded to the tube 20. Rain shield I48 includes a flange I52 which lies upon the plate I 42. The rain shield constitutes a downward thrust bearing for the light and its associated parts.

Adjacent the lower side of the support I0, I

screws I66. In an automobile installation, the cloth ceiling material is indicated at I68, which material is pinched between the lower end of the collar I64 and the plate I10 anchored to the collar by screws I12.

Upon the tube 20 and Within the collar I64 I mount a collar I14 of insulating material. Collar I14 is securely fastened to the tube 20 by screws I16. I groove the collar I14 at ITB for the reception of an electric pickup ring I80 which may be shrunk in place within the groove. Collar I 64 carries a tube I82 having one end lying within a bore I84 in the collar I64, which tube is held in connected relation with the collar by reason of a spun flange I86. positioned Within the tube I82 and is urged into pressure relation with the electric pickup ring I80 by a compression spring I90 having one end .40 which collar is fixedly secured to the plate I56 by abutting the contact brush and its opposite end abutting a washer I92 retained within the tube I82 by bending the material of the tube to provide a flange I94. An electric cable I96 is connected with the brush I88 and extends through the spring I 90. a source of current.

Tube 20 is provided with an opening I98 for accommodating the cable 200 which is electrically connected with the lamp in the light I2. Cable 200 is electrically connected with the ring I80. Tube 20 is rotatably positioned Within the tubular extension I46. Collar I80 rotates with the tube. Since the collar I80 extends completely about the collar I14, the electrical connection be- 51 A contact brush I88 is loosely Cable I96 may be connected with tween the cables I96 and 200 is maintained in all positions of the light l2.

In Fig, 5, I illustrate the circuit which may be associated with the light I2. The electric lamp 202 is electrically connected with the cable 200, and the lamp is grounded at 204. The lamp refiector is indicated at 206. Cable I96 may be provided with a switch 208, and the cable may be connected with a source of current 2 III grounded at 2 l2.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof will be readily understood. Levers and H6 are identical in construction while the connecting rods 90 and 92 are of equal length. Movement of the handle I4 rotates the lever II6, which, in turn, rotates the lever 80 in the same degree. Since the lever 80 is fixedly connected with the shaft I4, rotation of the lever will transmit rotary motion to the operating plates 24 which are fixedly connected with the light I2. Since the lever 80 always shifts in the same degree as the lever H6, the axis I6 of the handle is maintained in parallel relation with the axis I8 of the light in all positions. Axis I6 of the handle corresponds to the axis of the light beam reflected by the light I2, which permits the operator to determine the direction of projection of the light beam by observing the position of the handle I4. Thus, the direction of the light beam with respect to elevation and lateral rotation in either direction corresponds to the position of the handle I4.

The entire device is efi'ectively sealed from the ingress of moisture. Tube 20 may be rotated easily within the tubular extension I46 while the rain shield I48 rotates easily about the tubular extension but provides a moisture seal about the tube 20 and the upper end of the extension I46. Vertical displacement of the tube 20 is restrained because of the supporting plate I42 and the plate I56. Gaskets I44 and I54 provide an effective moisture seal with respect to the support II). Collar I64 and the plate I'ID provide convenient anchorage for the cloth ceiling material I68.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain my invention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

I claim:

1. A device of the type described comprising a support having an opening, a tube extending through said opening and rotatably mounted on said support, spaced plates carried by one end of the tube and having openings, a shaft rotatably mounted in said openings, operating plates lying adjacent said plates and fixedly connected with said shaft, a light fixedly connected with said operating plates, a lever fixedly connected with said shaft, a companion tube fixedly connected with said first tube, spaced plates carried by said companion tube and having openings, a shaft rotatably mounted in said last-named openings, operating plates lying adjacent said last-named plates and fixedly connected with said last-named shaft, a handle fixedly connected with said lastnamed plates, a lever fixedly connected with each shaft, means operatively connecting said levers, and an electrical conductor for connection with said lamp, said electrical conductor includin means rotatable with said first tube for connection with an outside source of current in all positions of the lamp.

2. The combination with a light and a supporting structure, of a pair of hollow heads and a tubular connection between the heads rotatably mounted on the supporting structure, said light being rotatably mounted on one of said heads, a handle rotatably mounted on the other of said heads, a lever operatively connected with said light and located inside the head associated therewith, a lever operatively connected with said handle and located inside the head associated therewith, and a pair of links pivotally connected with the levers, said links being located centrally of the tubular connection and being ofiset intermediate their ends to provide portions co.-extensive in length with the hollow connection and lying in juxtaposed relation in two extreme positions of the light.

' ERICK BRAND. 

